Vehicle-top.



.wwmw E m w w w m m G. E. SHDEL.

VEHICLE TOP. APPLICATION FILED APR.Z0,1914.

Patented May 25, 1915.

Z $tiEETS-SHEET 2.

UTED Sie'lb VEHICLE-TOP.

Specification of Letters latent.

Patented May 25, 1915..

Application filed April 20, 1914. Serial No. 833,032.

To all whom it may concern Be it. known that I, GEORGE E. SnmnL, acitizen of the United States, residing in the city of Richmond, in thecounty of lVayne and State of Indiana, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Vehicle- T ops, of which the following is a full,clear, and exact specification, the same being such as will enableothers to wake and use the same with exactitude.

My present invention relates to certain new and useful improvements invehicletops, whereby the interior thereof may be absolutely inclosedagainst inclemencies of the weather, with means whereby access andegress may be had in a minimum of time, and whereby such means isprovided by a simple and easily operated construction.

The object of my present; invention, broadly speaking, is to provideimprovements in vehicle-tops which will be strong and durable inconstruction, easily operated and controlled, artistic and attractive inappearance, and which can be manufactured and sold at a comparativelylow price.

More particularly stated, my object is, in connection with vehicle tops,to provide upwardly and downwardly slidable flexible doors, for thedoorways, with channels in which the doors are caused to travel, andwith pockets or compartments in the roof of the top for the said doors,there being a separate pocket for each door with no communicationtherebetween, whereby when the two doors are open, resting one above theother, it will be impossible for them to rub together or to becomeentangled with each other when being opened and closed.

Other objects and particular advantages and improvements in my inventionwill be brought out in the course of the following specification, andthe same is shown in the accompanying drawings.

The preferred means for carrying out my invention in a. practical manneris shown in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is acrosssection elevation of my vehicle top constructed, in accordance with theobjects of my invention. Fig. 2 is a detail longitudinal section, astaken on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1, but showing in addition the trimmingsin position. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the framework, and show ingthe doors in operative position. Fig. 4 1s a perspective detail view ofthe lower portion of one of the bows, showing the manner of forming thechannels for the doors. Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of a portionof one of the doors alone. And

. Fig. 6 is a detail cross section, taken on line 6-6 of Fig. 3.

Similar indices denote like parts through-- out the several views.

In order that the construction, the operation, and the advantages of myinvention may be better understood I will now take up a detaileddescription thereof in which I will set forth the invention as brieflyand as comprehensively as I may;

Referring now to the drawings in detail, letter denotes the body, orbed, of a vehicle, and i5 denotes the seat of a vehicle, the seatextends across the central portion of and above the bed. Extending upfrom the forward corners of the bed A are the two members, 1 and 2, ofthe front bow, each of the said members extends inward, horizontally, atthe top, with their horizontal porfltlOIlS overlapping each other, withthe ends of each extending across to the vertical portion of the other,substantially as shown in Fig. 3. Extending up from the central portionof the bed A are the two members 3-and i of the intermediate bow, eachof the said members extends inward horizontally at the top, with theirhorizontal portions overlapping each other, with the end of eachextending across to near the vertical portion of the other,substantially as shown in Fig. 3. From the above it will be seen thatthe two members 1 and 2 form the front bow, while the members 3 and iform the intermediate bow. It is of course to be understood that otherbows, or ordinary construction, are to be employed, as for instance thebow C, but

with these this invention is not particularly.

concerned, except incidentally it might be stated that the bow C isslightly higher than the other bows mentioned, in order to give theproper slope to the roof.

Formed in the inner rear corners of the members 1 and 2, and in theinner forward corners of the members 3 and 4, are'rabbets 5, 6, 7 and 8,respectively, for the purpose hereinafter I inner faces of the members1, 2,

I stops to limit the downward movements'of appearing. Secured to the 3and 4, and extending longitudinally thereof, are the re spective metalstrips 9, 10, 11 and 12, by which the said respective rabbets are formedinto channels. The channels of the members 1 and 2 being openrearwardly, and those of the members 3'and 4.- being open forwardly.

The lower ends of eachof the said channels are closed at a,

as shown in Fig. 4-, to form .the doors. The upper, far ends, of thesaid channels are'closed, each by a stop 6, as

shown in Fig. 1, to limit the upward movements of the doors. Numeral l3indicates a thin impervious I partition, which is preferably formed ofsheet metal, the front and rear edges thereof being rigidly securedbetween the overlapping horizontal. portions of the front andtheintermedia'te bows, by means. of bolts,

.screws, or the like, w and z, and with tral', portions of the bows,projecting over which is usually attached to the under faces the member2 -a'nd, in this instance, resting on the b0W 'C,' although itlmay reston the how 4, without interfering with the operation of this invention.I

Numeral 15 denotes the lining of the top, of fabric, the same being ofthe members 1 and .3 of the bows, in any well known man ner.

From the above it will be observed that I provide a compartment betweenthe roof l4. and the lining 15 which extends between the front and theIntermediate bows. The said compartment is divided horizontally by theare provided,

the said door partition 13 into two pockets, m and n. In this instance,

as is usual, two door openings one on each side of the top, the

same being located between the front and In order to close openings,when desired, two flexible doors are provided, one for each opening, thesame being constructed substantially as shown in Fig. 5, and each comtheintermediate bows.

prises two flexible metal strips, 16 and 17,

which are spaced apart and are located parallel with each other and theyextend the full height. ofthe doors. The strips 16 and are connectedat'the bottom by the bar 18, and at various points thereabove by the theframe-workof the door, substantially as shown. I Mounted I in theframework of each door isthe flexible 'textlle 'or leather material, 20and 21 respec- I 'tively,

the two bars e secured together throughout from, or behind, each of thestrips 16 and 17 and parallel therewith, is a strip of webbing or thelike, indicated by the numerals 22 and 23 respectively.

Each side edge of the material 20 and 21 is secured between a strip 16,or 17, and a.

strip of Webbing, 22 or23, where it is secured by the rivets or the likeindicated by the letter S, as shown in Fig. 5, and by which a flexiblemetal strip, the edge of the material 20 or 21, and a strip of webbingare securely fastened together. The lower edges of the material 20 and21 are each secured to its respective bar 18.

The width of the doors are such that their side edges will operate inthe channels of for the two doors. Located inwardthe bows above referredto, as in Fig. 2. Located in each of the doors is a flexibletransparency, 25, which changed. Secured to the central portion "of 18is an outside and an'inside handhold, 26 and 27 respectively, by whichthe doors may be operated. as desired.

From the foregoing it will be apparent forming the windows 24L'and thatprovide a construction free from complications and parts which would beliable to get out of order or to become inopera tive through wear orrough usage, and at the same time providing a construction Which will bevery wind, snow, rain, dust, or other inclemencies of the weather. I

The features of this invention which. I

would particularly emphasize are: That each of the doors is providedwith a separate pocket, each of which is entirely distinct from theother; the doors, when not in use, are entirely out of the way wherethey can not be seen and arefully protected from damage; the stops forpositively limiting the upward and the downward movements of the doors;the means whereby the channels of the doors are formed; the meanswhereby the doors may beremoved without danger of disfiguring any of theparts; and the various arrangements of the parts whereby theconstruction .is formed into a unitary arrangement.

Having now fully shown'and described my invention, what I claim anddesire to secure by Letmrs Patent of the United States, 1sv A vehicletop comprising a pair of spaced supporting bows adapted to be placedupon a vehicle body, each bow comprising two separatable members, eachmember being however may be variously.

effective in excluding L-shapcd in cross'section and having a verticaland horizontal portion, a plate secured to the short arm of the L ofeach member and extending parallel with the long arm together, apartition connecting; the bows "and having its opposite ends connectedto the horizontal port ons gfithe members, flexible curtains adaptedtravel in said chan! nel guides and th oppositeends of said members of eI bow being bent inwardly to close theends of the channel guides.substag tial'lg as described. I

In testimony whereof I have. hereunto subscribed my name to thisspecification in the '10 presence of two subscribing witnesses.

I GEORGE E. SEIDEL.

Witnesses:

